Škoda Roomster
|length = |width = |height = |weight = |designer = Thomas Ingenlath Peter Wouda |sp = uk }} The Škoda Roomster (Typ 5J)ETKA, accessed 27 January 2010 is a five-door five-seat multi-purpose vehicle-styled leisure activity vehicle, produced by the Czech automaker Škoda Auto. It was revealed as a production model in March 2006 at the Geneva Auto Show, with sales starting in June 2006. It is built at the Škoda factory in Kvasiny, Rychnov nad Kněžnou District. A two-door two-seat panel van version named the Škoda Praktik has been on sale since March 2007. The Roomster is Škoda's first car since the Volkswagen Group's take over of the brand that is not based entirely on an existing Volkswagen Group platform - although it is fundamentally based on the A4 (PQ34) platform, but with some unique additions. It shares components with the previous Škoda Octavia and the current Škoda Fabia. The name is reportedly a conscious combination of the words 'Room' and 'Roadster', and the split personality theme is played out in the design with a carefully honed 'driving room' ahead of the B-pillars, and a generous 'living room' to the rear. The Roomster therefore competes both in the mini MPV and leisure activity vehicle markets, which it will be sharing with the Fiat Idea, Nissan Note, Opel Meriva, Citroën C3 Picasso and Volkswagen Golf Plus. The Roomster has also appeared on an episode of the BBC 2 series Top Gear as one of the few inexpensive cars that Jeremy Clarkson liked. Prototype The Roomster is based on the concept car of the same name, originally revealed in September 2003 at the Frankfurt Auto Show. The concept was slightly shorter - against - than the production model but has a longer wheelbase - against , and featured a single rear sliding door on the passenger side, which was replaced by two conventionally hinged swinging rear doors. Like the production car it was designed by Thomas Ingenlath and Peter Wouda. Cabin Škoda conceived the Roomster's cabin in a way it can have different configurations at the choice of the user. The rear 'VarioFlex' seat arrangement, which are taller than the front seats, can be folded in a 40-20-40 split configuration, instead of the more usual 40-60, and can also be moved longitudinally and transversally (by removing the middle seat). The rear seats also have variable inclination up to 7° to the back, or completely to the front. The luggage compartment can have a completely flat surface with the rear seats completely removed, and the surface's height can also be modified with an amplitude of . With the rear seats removed, the Roomster's luggage compartment has enough room to carry a bicycle.Roomster accessories brochure 2011 Panel van The Škoda Praktik (Typ 5J8) is a five-door two-seat panel van version of the Roomster. Its cargo space is long, wide (minimum), and in height - giving a cargo load space of , and a payload from . It also includes a moveable internal load bulkead, 'hidden' underfloor storage, anti-slip load bay floor covering with six lashing points, and full-length roof rails. Powertrain The Škoda Roomster takes its internal combustion engines from its Volkswagen Group relatives, all engines are inline four-stroke designs. Petrol engines include the multi-valve inline three cylinder 1.2 litre, with power initially DIN-rated at , but now rated at , followed by the 1.4 litre and 1.6 litre inline four cylinder EA111 engines, with power of and respectively. The 1.6 litre is also available with a six-speed tiptronic automatic transmission, and is available on the most luxurious models. Diesel engine propulsion comes from the inline three cylinder 1.4 Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI), with two power levels, base at and "sport" at . The most luxurious models get a four-cylinder 1.9 TDI, with . Safety |adult_stars=5 |adult_score=34 |child_stars=4 |child_score=40 |pedestrian_stars=2 |pedestrian_score=14 }} References External links *Škoda Roomster – Škoda Auto Official Website *Škoda Praktik – Škoda Auto Official Website *Škoda Roomster – Škoda UK Website *BRISKODA.net – Škoda Roomster Forum and Community Roomster Category:Front-wheel-drive vehicles Category:Vehicles introduced in 2006 Category:2000s automobiles Category:2010s automobiles Category:Cars of the Czech Republic